Nervous about the transition into college? Worried about classes, your social life or even just managing your day-to-day schedule? Freshman year can be a scary time, and it can take a while to adjust to life on campus. To help smooth your transition, we asked UToledo upperclassmen from all different majors to share their wisdom: What is something you wish you had known when you were a freshman?
“Don’t hesitate to ask for help. College comes with so many opportunities and resources, and you’re not expected to navigate everything on your own. Whether it’s talking to professors, attending orientation events or going to SI sessions for classes like chemistry and biology, seeking help early can make a huge difference. Some of the most successful students are simply the ones who aren’t afraid to ask questions.”
– Terence Ly, Pre-pharmacy, Class of 2029
“It is going to be scary at first, but if you just open yourself up to new opportunities, it will become so much better!! Life is full of new experiences and chances, and if you close yourself off to them, you won’t have a chance to grow personally.”
– Tess Ligman, Communications, Class of 2029
“Always get to campus early if you are commuting because you never know how parking will be.”
– Drew Begeman, Psychology, Class of 2027
“Join a research lab early and apply for funding. It is easy to get started and looks great on a resume.”
– Griffin DeSantis, Chemical Engineering, Class of 2026
“It might not feel like the right place at the start, but with time you will create your own family.”
– Chad Snelling, Biology, Class of 2029
“Friends from freshman year won’t always last you till the final year … Things don’t work out. Knowing that is important. It’s less painful when it happens.”
– Vidhi Patel, Bioengineering, Class of 2026
“Don’t sit at home all day. Go out, make friends, attend all the events. Socialize. Towards senior year, you don’t have time to socialize.”
– Surya Ramesh, Electrical Engineering, Class of 2026
“Don’t become someone you’re not in order to impress people or make friends. Authenticity can go a long way. Also, don’t say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Prioritize things that you genuinely enjoy and keep building on that. People will pick up on that passion and consistency.”
– Abraham Kim, Second-year medical student, Class of 2028
“A lot of people don’t know about the group fitness classes, so I encourage people to branch out and try them — try all the clubs.”
– Jessica Lagerquist, Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2027
“Focusing on learning is way more important than [just] grades because as you go on to the upper-level classes, it demands your understanding of basic concepts and how concepts intertwine with each other.”
– Rajat Pawar, Data Science, Class of 2026
“I wish I knew how big of a difference talking to the professors and getting to know them would actually make. Building a rapport with them not only makes class less intimidating, but the professor will also be more willing to help you.”
– Serena Mitchell, Speech and Language Pathology, Class of 2029
“Put yourself out there and try lots of new things — clubs, orgs, talking to new people, etc. It’s good for them to try things to see what they actually enjoy and to not get stuck in their old ways, but to always reevaluate how they think and feel.”
– Owen Green, Finance, Class of 2026
“It’s okay to have no plan or have nothing figured out; growth comes much faster when you know you’re a beginner.”
– Zaid Siddiqui, Computer Science, Class of 2027
“Focus on getting more sleep. Make that a bigger priority as opposed to studying into the morning hours.”
– Tiernan Garber, Environmental Engineering, Class of 2028
“Don’t compare your own timeline to someone else’s. We’re all in it to get higher education.”
– Aayonah Marshall, Speech and Language Pathology, Class of 2027
Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.
